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Friday Buzz, 7.7.06
Gov. Schwarzenegger can finally ride his Harleys legally, Gray Davis is a happy (enough) man, and it might be time to sever your emotional ties to Eric Gagne. Those items and more in the news roundup that follows — including several media moves and a takeover. Click on the Buzz to sneak a peek.
Reality in Israel
Twice yesterday, Mayor Villaraigosa had phone calls to his counterpart in the Gaza-adjacent city of Sderot interrupted by rocket attacks. The conversations "barely got beyond the introductions," the Jewish Journal reports.
Arnold is no longer illegal
Gov. Schwarzenegger finally took and passed the tests for his motorcycle license.
Visiting with Gray Davis
The recalled governor has eaten a turkey sandwich for lunch for 32 years, but the LAT's John Balzar finds that Davis — who he has known a long time — is loosening up.
Catching up with Gray Davis now, you find him settled into a new life in Southern California — and not so bad a life, either, from the looks of it and what he says of it.
"I view myself as a teacher and an elder statesman," he says.
For 80% of his workdays — by his count — he practices corporate law as "of counsel" to Loeb & Loeb in Century City, a firm where attorneys wear casual attire, even Davis, and which American Lawyer magazine called one of "best places" in the country to work. When you look past the three flagstaffs behind his corner-office desk, you can see the downtown Los Angeles skyline. You can also glimpse a couple of holes of the nearby Los Angeles Country Club. His office is only blocks from his spacious new home in Westwood. He drives himself to work in his Lexus.
"I am enjoying this chapter of my life," he says. "There's room for growth, for fulfillment, and I have more time with my family."
Sigh
Eric Gagne was admitted to St. Vincent's with two herniated disks and may need back surgery, ending his season and possibly his Dodgers career. Meanwhile, the Dodgers' new starting pitcher Mark Hendrickson let the first four Giants get on base and spotted them a five-run lead. He's now 0-2 in the National League.
Another hotel sale
The Fairmont Miramar in Santa Monica is expected to go for about $210 million and get a new upgrade.
Parents union will push Villaraigosa plan
Steve Barr, founder of Green Dot schools, says the union he unveiled supports the mayor's efforts to take more control of the LAUSD.
How appetizing
The DWP is warning residents of the Valley that their tap water will have a musty but harmless smell due to seasonal algae known as anabaena. (LAist)
Sworn in
Villaraigosa plant Monica Garcia takes her seat on the Los Angeles Board of Education.
How to make the Vals happy
The Southern California Association of Governments agreed to treat the Valley as a separate subregion for statistical analysis.
Carnage in Santa Barbara
The Times fronts its story on yesterday's events at the Santa Barbara News-Press. "I still love the News-Press," said 46-year columnist Barney Brantingham, who resigned along with five editors. "I just can't work under these unprofessional conditions. I just hate to see what has happened to the newspaper."
Radio & Records sold
VNU, the Dutch owner of Billboard and the Hollywood Reporter, buys the Los Angeles-based music industry trade pub. Sounds like R&R will continue publishing.
Tribune Company cuts foreign staff
Newsday and the Baltimore Sun will lose slots as the company moves to consolidate bureaus under the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune foreign desks.
Back to interviewing
Business Journal editor Charles Crumpley may not appreciate the L.A. casualness of the job hopefuls he sees, but he's going to be seeing more of them. New reporter Geneva Whitmarsh began work on the real estate beat last Monday and left before the end of the week when a higher-paying PR job offer came in. (By the way, what Crumpley ascribes to personal laxity — lack of neckties, soft-soled shoes, even story clippings printed off Google — may just reflect that his candidates come from less stodgy newsrooms. If the LABJ wants to attract higher quality candidates, Crumpley might update his standards to judge the applicants more on their talents as journalists.)
Switching legal hats
Amy Kalin, legal editor of the Daily Journal based in San Francisco, checks out today to do communications for Morgan Lewis & Bockius. The law firm based in Philadelphia has several California offices.
Status: Unemployed
Howard Owens, formerly of the Ventura Star and Bakersfield Californian, blogs about his new status.
Aaron Spelling estate probably not for sale
But it might be.
Zookeeper allowed to resign
The night staffer who didn't act on reports that Gita the elephant was in distress leaves the Los Angeles Zoo.
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